Common names: goby (English), gobio (Espanol)
 
Aboma etheostoma (Jordan & Starks in Jordan, 1895)


Scaly goby,     Spot-lined goby


Head and body slender; head elongate, snout pointed; eye large (~ snout length); narrow between eyes (< ½ eye diameter); mouth small; males with large canines in outer row of teeth on side of lower jaw; no teeth on sides of roof of mouth; tongue round to blunt; head without barbels; front nostril tubular, rear with raised rim; preopercle with 2-3 pores; dorsal fin VII (large males – 1st  spine long, ribbon-like, reaching to middle of soft dorsal) + I, 11-12; anal fin I, 10-12 rays; pectoral 16-19 rays, longer than pelvic; pelvics fused in disc; body scaled rearward of line under 2nd  dorsal spine to upper pectoral base & from lower pectoral base to anus; scales rough, large, 26-30 lateral row; 4 large, very rough scales on base of tail fin.

Tan to grey brown; lower part of head with scattered black dots, 2 prominent spots behind eye, 2 oblique bars from eye to under rear end of lower jaw; 4-5 rows of dark spots forming narrow dark stripes along body; 1st  dorsal with 2 rows of spots forming dark stripes; 2nd  dorsal with 3 rows of dark spots; anal dusky, darker at edge; pectoral base with yellow spot below and a dark curved bar; pelvics dusky; tail fin with 5-6 dark chevron bars.


Size: 3.6 cm.

Habitat: shallow estuaries.

Depth: 0-10 m.

Eastern Gulf of California to Panama.